ISEE tutors typically meet with students for nine to twelve 60-minute sessions. For homework, we assign a mix of 45-minute assignments and full-length ISEE practice tests. We offer extended test prep for those needing additional support.
Our ISEE preparation course covers test-taking skills and ISEE content, including question interpretation, guessing strategy, time management, and fundamental reading and math concepts.
Our ISEE practice materials reflect the current content and best strategies on the ISEE test. Your student will benefit from materials that focus on the most important content and effective testing strategies.
The ISEE is an admissions test for private middle schools and private high schools.
The ISEE has three levels:
The content of the tests includes synonyms, sentence completions, reading comprehension, and math. There is an essay section that is not included in ISEE test scores but is sent to the prospective school as a sample of the student’s writing.
The high achool admissions requirments of local schools such as: Castilleja School (Palo Alto), Menlo (Atherton), Woodside Priory (Portola Valley), Pinewood (Los Altos), Harker (San Jose), Kehillah Jewish High School (Palo Alto), Drew (San Francisco), The Nueva School, Lick-Wilmerding (San Franciso), Branson (Marin Co.), Belmont Oaks (Belmont), and Marin Academy (San Rafael) are com,plex and subject to change year by year. We recommend visiting the schools’s websites and talking with one of our midddle and high school entrance exam coaches for up-to-date information on application requirments.
You can register for the ISEE test on the ERB Website
Stanines 7-8 are considered “above average,” stanines 4-6 are considered “average,” and stanines 1-3 are considered “below average.”
It is important to remember that the ISEE norm group is a highly competitive group! Your student is being compared to all the other students in the same grade who are taking this test for admission into independent schools, some of which can be the most selective schools in the country.
It’s difficult to say what schools consider a “good” score, as there are many factors in admissions, especially grades and family connections.
Yes. The ISEE is designed to evaluate students on their understanding of information that they learn in school, but it is still a standardized test. Our ISEE prep course helps students review content such as fundamental math concepts, reading strategies, and grammar while at the same time coaching students on timing tactics, elimination tricks, and other test-taking skills.
The ISEE is produced by the Educational Record Bureau (ERB). The Educational Records Bureau (ERB), the producer of the ISEE, offers a free downloadable guide entitled What to Expect on the ISEE for each level of the exam it administers. If you want to dive into the thick of concepts tested, we strongly recommend downloading the guide.
Each section of the ISEE test will receive a raw score, scaled score, percentile rank, and a stanine. Many schools look primarily at the stanine.
Stanine Chart
| Percentile | Stanine |
| 1-3 | 1 |
| 4-10 | 2 |
| 11-22 | 3 |
| 23-39 | 4 |
| 40-59 | 5 |
| 60-76 | 6 |
| 77-88 | 7 |
| 89-95 | 8 |
| 96-99 | 9 |
| Section and Content | Minutes Allotted | Number of Questions |
|
20 | LL: 34
UL: 40 |
| Synonyms (UL and LL) | ||
| Sentence Completions (UL) | ||
|
35 | LL: 38
UL: 37 |
| Understanding and application of concepts measured by Problem Solving and Quantitative Comparisons portions | ||
|
LL: 25
UL: 35 |
LL: 25
UL: 36 |
| Six 300-word passages and questions | ||
Concepts in arithmetic UL includes algebra, geometry |
LL: 30
UL: 40 |
LL: 30
UL: 47 |
| Essay
Five-paragraph essay prompt |
30 minutes |
Our test prep, academic tutoring, and college admissions counseling professionals are here to help you navigate the test taking maze, share our experience with your local school, and inspire your student.
